Carbon Monoxide detectors save seven lives in Cicero home
Seven people are alive today because they had Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors installed in their homes, officials of the Town of Cicero said Thursday.
A Cicero family of seven was alerted to extremely high levels of carbon monoxide in their home at 1918 s 58th Court, in Cicero this morning at around 8 am. Four of the residents were transported to McNeal Hospital for a safe health evaluation, but three others at the residence declined treatment, Fire officials said.
No one was seriously injured but Cicero Fire Officials said it could have been a lot worse if the homes did not have CO-Smoke Detectors installed.
“There could have been seven casualties if the residents had not installed CO-Fire Detectors in their home,” said Dominick Buscemi, Cicero Fire Chief.
“The detectors they had installed were issued to them through a program sponsored by Town President Larry Dominick and funded through FEMA last year in which Carbon Monoxide/Smoke detector combinations were given away at no cost to all Cicero homeowners.”
Buscemi said the CO levels were very high, but he noted the CO detectors in the home did their job alerting the family to the threat immediately.
The CO detectors in the home were among those donated for free to the family and other families in Cicero by the Town of Cicero each year.
Cicero President Larry Dominick said, “Sometimes, people take Carbon Monoxide and Smoke detectors for granted. But as we can see, they are so important and they do save lives. I am proud that the Town of Cicero is a part of the program to provide these live saving devices to every Cicero home free of charge thanks to support from FEMA and from Luri Children’s Hospital.”
Cicero received a $130,000 grant from FEMA last year to replenish its supply of CO-Smoke Detector combinations that are given to each home (two per household). Cicero also received CO/Smoke Detectors from Luri Children’s Hospital.
BACKGROUND INFO ON CO/SMOKE DETECTOR GIVEAWAY PROGRAM
FEMA awards Cicero Fire $130,000 for Smoke/Carbon Monoxide detectors
The Federal Emergency Management Agency awarded the Town of Cicero a $130,000 grant to replenish its stock of Smoke/Carbon Monoxide detectors that are given to residents free of charge.
Among its many services to residents, the Town of Cicero provides every home or apartment a free combination Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Detector.
Fire Chief Dominick Buscemi said he was assisted by Deputy Fire Chief Chad Harvey and Grant writer Jose Alvarez in applying for the FEMA grant last May.
“This is a beneficial program for town resident supported by Town President Larry Dominick. It’s another important benefit and service that residents receive from the town,” Buscemi said.
“There is a continued need for smoke detectors. They save lives and help prevent fires. But they have to be checked annually and replaced when they are broken. We always have requests for the detectors and we to continue to ensure that our homeowners have the latest and best detectors.”
Buscemi said last year the town spent $30,000 to purchase 800 smoke detectors that were given to home and apartment owners free-of-charge. Last October, Cicero and the Fire Department partnered with Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago to provide about 1,000 more detectors.
Buscemi said that the Town will be able to purchase about 3,000 high quality combination smoke and carbon monoxide detectors using the $130,000 FEMA grant.
“The new detectors are designed to last 10 years, but they have to be checked to make sure the batteries are operational and that they have not been damaged,” Buscemi said.
Buscemi said that residents can apply for free smoke detectors every three years by visiting the Fire Department headquarters at 5303 W. 25th Street and showing proof of residency.
“This is an important program and we’re proud that the Town is able to provide this to our residents free-of-charge,” Buscemi said.
(Photos attached: Officials of Luri Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Town of Cicero officials hand out free CO/Smoke detectors during a program in October 2017. Cicero gives free CO/Smoke detectors to all Cicero residents free-of-charge. Luri Children’s Hospital donated the detectors during this giveaway but last year (2016), Cicero spent $30,000 to purchase detectors. The FEMA grant will allow the Town to purchase up to 3,000 more Smoke/Carbon Monoxide detectors for future giveaways. Photo credit the Town of Cicero.)
END
Ray Hanania
Town of Cicero
708-656-3600 ext 855
Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.
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